


Come And Get Your Love

by RileySavage7



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Pining, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Gestures, This has all the feelings, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Valentines Day 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 12:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17745530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RileySavage7/pseuds/RileySavage7
Summary: Charlotte rolled her eyes and propped herself onto Becky’s desk. “You’re a total nutcase”, she lamented, fluffing Becky’s bright orange hair.Becky stopped typing after that. She looked up and found Charlotte’s misty blue-green eyes.“You know I love you, right?”, she asked carefully.Charlotte nodded.“Well then...”, Becky swivelled her chair so she could face Charlotte. Her hands were on the blonde’s thighs. “...If you’re looking to rebound... I’m here for you”.Charlotte covered Becky’s hands with her own and shook her head ‘no’.-A College AU CharLynch Valentine's Day fic





	Come And Get Your Love

**Author's Note:**

> It's almost Valentine's Day and someone's gotta write the fics, right? 
> 
> This is like, prime rom-com levels of cheesiness and I won't apologize for it! 
> 
> Title come's from a Redbone song - which you should totally check it because it's awesome. 
> 
> Enjoy x

**_5th of February_ **

Charlotte Flair labours up the third flight of stairs with her still aching knee. She hates that Becky lives in the campus dorms instead of in a sorority like her. Their two miles apart means Charlotte has to trek all the way from Greek row and then back, if she wanted to spend time with her friend.

And the other occupants were all kind of weird, Charlotte thought. She wasn’t shallow or anything, but it did seem as if all the _weirdoes_ stayed here. She passed a guy having what appeared to be a very intellectual conversation with a puppet on the second floor -- and he was just the latest in a long line of offbeat characters she’s noticed around these parts. But none were as offbeat as her best friend from high school, Becky Lynch.

See, Becky was the type of person who would smooth-talk the lunch lady into giving her extra tater-tots (she would just explain that she hailed from Ireland and that it was an ‘exclusive Irish human right’ to eat at least six helpings of potatoes a day). She was the type of person who relished oral presentations. She’s always elect to go first and then she would literally adjust a tiny little microphone by her collar and walk around the room like she was giving a freaking TED talk. She came from Ireland, but had lived all over the world thanks to her parents’ jobs as travel writers. 

Becky had the coolest stories to tell, the coolest souvenirs she would hang on to her backpack or sow into her jean jackets. She was a weird and wonderful, well-travelled sixteen year old. It was hard not to be intimidated by her.

Charlotte didn’t know what to make of the fire-headed girl -- but she knew she liked her. They became friends in junior year. After being drafted as lab partners for biology and after about six ‘dead frog’ puns (‘think he Kermit-ted suicide?’) from Becky, the two were inseparable.

Of course their friendship meant a lot to Charlotte, but she was also dating Sasha Banks, the school’s resident Instagram-model, at the time. It made hanging out with Becky difficult -- on the one hand she loved her girlfriend, but on the other she cared about Becky and she was not going to choose. But then Sasha made the choice for her.

They broke up at the start of senior year (conveniently only _after_ Charlotte’s family invited Sasha along on a summer vacation to Cancún).

Charlotte remembers that night vividly.

She was heartbroken, left feeling betrayed by the same person she felt she had a real connection with. There wasn’t much left for her to do, save for calling Becky and crying on her shoulder (literally at that).

Becky put down a box of Kleenex and said, “There -- cry as much you want now”.

Charlotte sniffled. “Really? That’s what you’re gonna say to me right now?”

“Yeah...”, Becky noted nonchalantly and turned her attention to her laptop again.

“You’re a terrible best friend”, Charlotte said as she wiped her tearstained face with the tissues.

“And you’ll get over it -- now come here, check this out”, the Irish girl said and beckoned Charlotte over with her index finger.

“What is it?”, Charlotte asked as the curiosity got the better of her. 

“I logged into your Facebook and now I’m deleting the last remnants of that bitch from your life so you don’t have to”, Becky stated as if it was no big deal.

“What?! How do you even know my...”

“Silence woman!”, Becky held beleaguered. “I’m doing God’s work here”.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and propped herself onto Becky’s desk. “You’re a total nutcase”, she lamented, fluffing Becky’s bright orange hair. 

Becky stopped typing after that. She looked up and found Charlotte’s misty blue-green eyes.

“You know I love you, right?”, she asked carefully.

Charlotte nodded.

“Well then...”, Becky swivelled her chair so she could face Charlotte. Her hands were on the blonde’s thighs. “...If you’re looking to rebound... I’m here for you”.

Charlotte covered Becky’s hands with her own and shook her head ‘no’. 

“You’re not a rebound, Becks. You know I care about you, but we’re friends -- nothing more”. She felt Becky’s hands move from underneath hers. The Irish girl sat with arms crossed, eyes fixed on the carpet beneath her feet.

“I’m good with friends”, she eventually said.

And that’s what they’ve remained for the ensuing three years.

Which is why Charlotte was all but limping to Becky’s dorm room at nine in the evening. Because she needs a friend right now.

-

Becky watches on as Zelina struggles to log into her Gmail. The tiny Latina had asked her roommate for assistance, but was shot down by a ‘Do I look like tech support to you?’ from Becky.

A knock on their door has both girls looking up.

“That’s probably for you”, Zelina says meekly.

“Hey, Becks, open up -- S’me”, Charlotte calls from the other side.

Becky lets out a breath she didn’t realise she was holding. She slides off the bed, checks her hair in the mirror and shuffles over to the door. She’s greeted by a tired looking Charlotte Flair.

“Jesus, you look like crap and yet...you’re still a feast for the eyes”, she mumbles and gestures for Charlotte to come in.

“Thanks, Becky -- you sure know how to make a girl feel special, particularly after making her feel like shit”, Charlotte retorts as she makes her way to Becky’s side of the cramped room. And boy was it cramped. Movie posters and Becky’s light saber collections adored the walls, she had stacked boxes of vinyl records, old books stacked on her desk and little kitsch items (a mini matryoshka doll, a tiny metal _Arc De_ _Triomphe_ , a Derek Jeter bobble-head)

“Have a seat here, dear”, Becky says, pulling out her chair for Charlotte. The blonde rolls her eyes, but sits anyway. She looks on as Becky shuffles back onto her bed. “Now, tell Daddy what’s wrong”, Becky says with mock concern.

“Oh, fuck you!”, Charlotte says with little malice. She picks up the first thing she finds on the overloaded desk (a green stress ball) and throws it at Becky. The orange haired woman catches it and cackles.

“Clearly nothing’s wrong with your aim”, she says in between laughing. “Seriously, what’s up with you?”, she asks – her eyebrows knitting together in genuine concern.

“Nothing, just...”, Charlotte sighs. “...Seth stuff”.

Becky pulls an exasperated face, then cranes her neck so she could see her roommate. “Hey, Zelina – get the hell out, can’t you see we’re having a private conversation here?”

The tiny freshman looks up at her roommate. “But I’m busy with the...”

“Go get some fresh air -- maybe by the time you come back your Gmail would have fixed itself”.

Zelina sighs, gets up from her bed, grabs a jacket and makes her way out of the room.

“Well, that wasn’t really necessary”, Charlotte holds, frowning at her best friend.

“Oh come on, stuff like that builds character -- she’ll thank me in a few years”, Becky pats the empty space next to her, inviting Charlotte to join her on the single-bed.

The blonde relents and joins Becky.

“So what did that... that _boyfriend_ of yours do this time?”, Becky asks, speaking the word ‘boyfriend’ with such venom that it almost makes Charlotte laugh.

“His band’s got this gig next Thursday and now he’s cancelled our Valentine’s Day plans”, she says -- massaging her injured knee.

“Idiot”, Becky mumbles.

“He’s the lead singer and guitarist -- he started the band. I guess I can’t be upset about this because I know how much he loves _The Kingslayers_ ”. Charlotte groans, finding that her knee hurts more the later it gets.

“But you’re his girl -- he should be considerate of your feelings, don’t you think? And what kind of name is _The Kingslayers_ anyway?” Becky stretches, feigning fatigue in order to put an arm around Charlotte’s shoulder. The blonde rolls her eyes at the motion, but settles into Becky’s embrace quite easily.

“D’you think I’m being needy?”, the blonde asks in a small voice.

“Not at all”, Becky answers honestly. “I mean, shit, if you were _my_ girl I’d ‘ave gone all out for Valentine’s Day”.

Charlotte looks up and finds Becky’s perfectly sculpted face extremely close to her own. “Really?”

“Oh yes, baby”. Becky starts drawing circle patterns on Charlotte’s exposed bicep. “It would be a whole day of in-your-face, obnoxious, cliché romance”. She nudges Charlotte’s shoulder with her own. “Straight out of a _Hallmark_ movie... or I suppose, gay out of a _Hallmark_ movie”.

The dreadful joke is worth it when Becky sees the smile on Charlotte’s face.

“What would you do? On Valentine’s Day, I mean”.

Becky pulls a pondering face, tapping her index finger on her chin. “Well, I’d start early. You’d be woken up by song ‘cos I’d get those _a capella_ nerds to serenade you from outside your window -- your sorority sisters would hate you ‘cos they’d be out there by six. And then I’d get my friends from the theatre department to each bring you a rose --- and there’s about seven of them, because as you know in _number-rose symbolism_ , seven means love. Once you get to your first class, you’ll think the humiliating displays of romance were over, but alas, I am rather extra. Thus, I’d walk into your class wearing a shirt that says ‘Charlotte Flair is my girlfriend and I fucking love her’ and I’d recite a Maya Angelou poem for ya. Your professor would probably kick me out, but I’ll leave a cluster of heart-shape balloons behind as a parting gift”.

 Charlotte mouth hangs open in utter amazement. “You cannot be serious”.

“Oh, but I am. See, after that you’d think it was over, but nope -- we’re only halfway there. You’d walk into your room and find a giant teddy bear on your bed. On his teddy belly would be a _post-it_ note with the time and place of our dinner date. The directions would lead you to the other side of town -- that building where Finn and Eli live. That place has the most amazing rooftop area over-looking the city. You’d find me underneath thousands of little fairly lights, blue because it’s your favourite colour, on one knee holding a little box. It, of course wouldn’t be a ring -- it’d be that necklace we saw in that little shop. The one that made you cry and you wouldn’t tell me why... I’d tell you how much I love you and then we’d kiss”. Becky slowly removes her arm from around Charlotte. “Or some variation of that”, she adds casually.

“Wow... you would do all of that? For me?”, Charlotte asks, genuinely taken aback by Becky’s monologue.

Becky shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Yeah – who wouldn’t?”

Charlotte gives a lopsided smile and links Becky’s pinkie with hers. “You’re the sweetest, most incredible being ever”.

 Becky frowns. “Then how come you don’t want me?”, she asks and the frown is replaced by a childlike pout.

“Oh, Becks... please let’s not have this conversation again”, Charlotte sighs. “You know what I’m gonna say -- timing, friendship, fear of losing you... nothing’s changed since the last time you asked”.

Becky nodded and despite feeling incredibly shitty, she gives a fleeting smile. “You should get going; sorority house rules and all that”.

Charlotte checks the time on her cell phone. “You’re right”, Charlotte scoots off the bed, but winces when she tries to stand on her left leg.

“What’s wrong?”, Becky asks, voice laced with immediate concern.

“I hurt my knee in practice today, not a big deal”.

“Like bloody hell it isn’t”, Becky states, slightly wound up. “You can barely stand. I’m calling you an Uber”.

“Becky, it’s like, less than two miles”.

Becky shakes her head vehemently. “It’s dark and it’s cold and you’re hurt”.

“Well, it’s not like the driver can pick me up in front of your bedroom door”, Charlotte winces at the sudden pang of pain in her knee. “I still have to walk down three flights of stairs”.

“Not if I carry you down myself”, Becky states, one hundred percent not kidding.

“WHAT?! Becky, I’m way bigger than you -- you can’t carry me”, Charlotte reasons, trying to shift all her weight to her good leg.

The Irish girl unceremoniously pulls off her sweatshirt and flexes her biceps. “I’ve been liftin’, bro”.

“Wait... where did those come from? And why are you so toned all of a sudden?”, Charlotte asks, quite curious.

“You’re not the only one who knows where the gym is”, Becky says as she pulls her sweatshirt over her head again. “Now you decide, either I piggyback you down the stairs or throw you over my shoulder like a caveman -- the lady’s choice”.

“I hate you”, Charlotte snickers. Becky just raised an eyebrow and stood with her hands on her hips.“Geez... Fine. Piggyback”.

* * *

**_7th February_ **

Charlotte tries to keep up with Seth’s pace as they walk through the quad. He was going on and on about something his friend Dean said. Charlotte’s knee was still a little sore, but she could at least walk.

“Anyway, so then Dean’s all like, ‘you people are vermin -- you need shots for all these goddamn diseases you have’. I’ve never laughed so hard at a freaking DMV”.

Charlotte nods distractedly. 

“Hey, you okay?”, he asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine -- just my stupid knee. Coach is pissed that I got hurt -- like it’s my fault. I swear, sometimes I just feel like I’m only valued when I can score points for the...”

“Listen, babe, I know you’re dealing with a lot right now and I fully stand by you in this stressful time, but I gotta answer this phone call right now”, Seth says and turns away to answer his phone.

Charlotte makes out he’s talking with his band’s manager, so she takes a seat on one of the park benches. Across the quad, she spots Becky (how could she not, with that hair). The Irish girl was sitting in the shade of an oak tree, typing away on a laptop. Charlotte’s about to call out for her, but she sees Seth approaching.

“Sorry about that -- it was Lio. We’re all set for that V-Day gig -- Fuck! I’m so excited babe. Now come on, hop-along Cassidy, we’re gonna be late for class”.

Charlotte grabs hold of his out-stretched hand and they start making their way to class.

“Oh right, forgot to tell you -- we have a gig tonight at The Sentinel -- you coming?”

“Not in the mood”, Charlotte dismisses.

Seth rolled his eyes. “Been saying that a lot these days”, he mumbles.

-

Becky checks her first box of vinyl but finds nothing that interests her. Her second box is better but still not quite what she’s looking for. Just before she can check her third box, she hears the impatient banging against her door. She immediately knows it’s Charlotte (because no one else is such a brat).

“Wow, twice in one week -- your sorority sisters must not be stimulating conversationalists”, she says and watches as Charlotte saunters into her room.

“What the hell is that smell?”, the blonde asks as she throws herself down on Becky’s bed.

“Granadilla flavoured vape -- you want a taste?”, Becky offers.

“No thanks”, Charlotte says with a pulled up face. 

“Don’t get too high society on me -- vaping is the future. Sure, I would’ve preferred a nice tobacco, but they don’t allow pipes in the building and you wouldn’t catch me with a cigarette like some common streetwalker”.

Charlotte bursts out in laughter -- so much so that she doubles over. Regaining her composure she smiles and asks, “Where the hell did they find you?”

Becky shrugs. “Dublin”, she says and continues to search through her third box of records. “Ah -- this is it”. She carefully slides the record from its sleeve. “Etta James, _At_ _Last_ ”. She places the vinyl onto the player with such precision and care. Then she drops the needle and the music starts.

It isn’t loud at all, but the sounds travel. Becky sits down next to Charlotte, locking their pinkies. “Knee feeling better, love?”

“Yeah – yeah it does”, Charlotte all but whispers.

“Then why do you still look so miserable?”, the ginger haired girl asks, resting her forehead against Charlotte’s temple.

“Can we just listen to the music and not talk about anything?”, Charlotte asks, biting at her lower lip.

“Why do you keep putting up with these people who don’t deserve you?”, Becky questions.

“Becky...”, Charlotte warns. “Don’t”.

“Sorry, Char . I just want you to know there’s other fish in the sea -- better fish even. The kinda fish who knows how to cheer you up”. She brushes her hand against Charlotte’s cheek. “Kinda fish who’s loved you since forever”.

“I don’t like fish”, Charlotte says with a defiant smile. 

“Alright then”, Becky says brusquely. She gets up from the bed and walks over to her desk. “What about Cheetos then?”, she tosses the bag to Charlotte. “Or Doritos”. She tosses the Doritos, too. “And I know you like Pringles, so head’s up”, she says as she tosses the container onto the bed.

“Becks, what are you doing?”

Becky lifts the needle, walks over and switches the lights off, leaving her lava lamp the only luminescent object in the tiny room. She opens her laptop and pulls up a movie. 

“Scoot over a little”, she orders as she places the laptop by Charlotte’s crossed legs. She then sits herself down next to the blonde.

“Becky, what’s this?”, Charlotte asked with an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

“My feeble attempt at cheering you up -- work with me, love”. She presses play and Charlotte instantly recognises the first still shot of the movie.

“Thelma and Louise? Becks, we haven’t watched this together since like, freshman year”.

Becky gave a quick nod. “Now shush yourself, lass -- you know I hate talking during movies”.

 

Charlotte didn’t mean to, but she falls asleep halfway through the movie.

 Becky smiles as she covers the blonde with a blanket. She steals one of Zelina’s pillows and lies down on the carpeted floor next to her bed.

Charlotte wakes up at two and looks around the room, which looks quite foreign to her. She notices the messy desk and remembers where she is.

Leaning over, she spots her best friend edgily rolling around on the ground. “Becky? What are you doing on the floor?”, she asks, yawing.

Becky, who hadn’t gotten one minute of sleep, gets up from her makeshift ‘bed’.

“I couldn’t just lie down next to you”, she says and stretches, her limps aching somewhat.

“Don’t be silly”, Charlotte says, unzipping her jeans and pulling them off. She tosses them aside and is now clad only in a rose gold crew neck T-shirt. She reaches behind her back to unclasp her bra, which she removes from under her shirt. She tosses it on the desk. Patting on the covers, she says. “Come to bed”.

She sounds too alluring to turn down, she looks too good. Becky, already dressed in pajamas (an oversized Dolphins T-shirt and soft boxer shorts), unenthusiastically gets on the bed. 

“You okay?”, Charlotte asks, cuddling up next to Becky. 

“Yeah -- a little turned on, but otherwise I'm just dandy”. 

The blonde giggles. “We've shared a bed before, Rebecca. Don't make it weird now”. 

They lay in silence for a while and it feels right. Their bodies weaved into one almost. Charlotte's hands are inches away from Becky's deliciously thick thighs and they itch for a feel. 

Their breathing syncs up. Becky still smells of vape smoke, but Charlotte doesn’t mind. She takes a whiff at the nape of Becky's neck. She smells perfect, Charlotte thinks before contemplating her reluctance to date Becky. This is something she's not considered in a while, but lying here with her now -- it's the only thing on her mind. She loves Becky, of this she's sure, but what if that’s not enough? What if _she’s_ not enough? Right now all she knows is that lying here curled up impossibly close to Becky, feels like the most natural thing in the world. 

“Your nipples are poking me in the back, Charlotte".  

“Fuck, you’re insufferable”. Charlotte shoves at the chuckling Becky.

-

Zelina’s muffled curses wakes Becky up.

She tries to sit up in bed, but she’s pinned down by Charlotte’s arm and one half of her torso.

“Jesus...I’m trapped”, she mutters.

“Like you mind...”, Zelina says through gritted teeth.

Becky arches an eyebrow. “Are you sassing me, little lady?”

“You’re not my mom!”, Zelina snaps, throwing her heart-shaped pillow at Becky.

The redhead watches the pillow fall just short of her bed and chuckles. “No, I’m your step-mom. What’s the matter with you anyway? Your ‘fucks’ and ‘bullshits’ woke me up”.

Zelina sits down on her perfectly made bed. “My stupid Gmail still isn’t working”.

Becky sticks out her lower lip in a pout and considers something for a few seconds.

“Okay -- I’ll have a look at it... _if_ you do something for me first”, she offers.

Zelina furrows her brow. “I’m listening”.

“Go to that cafe down the street and pick me up a couple almond croissants and a vanilla soy latte”.

“Why do I...”

Becky holds up her hand as if to halt Zelina. “Just do it -- and be quick about it. It’s Charlotte’s breakfast”.

Zelina sighs, grabs her purse and makes her way out of the room.

Becky turns her attention back to sleeping beauty next to her. She smoothes down Charlotte’s hair. “Come on, Char -- time to wake up”. She nudges the blonde in the side and only stops when she hears Charlotte groan and mutters a “Fuck you, Becky”.

Charlotte rolls on her back and wipes the sleep from her eyes. “Wh-what time is it?”, she asks in a groggy voice.

Becky gets out of bed and stands with arms crossed. “Around nine -- you sure can sleep”, she says and quirks her eyebrows.

“Sorry, I guess”. She yawns and kicks the blanket off. “Hand me my pants, will ya? I should go face the wrath of house mother Nattie”.

“I got you breakfast -- Zelina should be back with it any minute now. In the meantime...”, Becky picks up Charlotte’s jeans and tosses them over to her. “...get dressed ‘cos this ain’t that sort of party”.

Becky pulls on a pair of jeans and rummages through her messy closet for a T-shirt. She spots her favourite black tank top. She takes off the Dolphins shirt and rolls her eyes at Charlotte’s wolf-whistle.

“Cat-calling is offensive”, she mumbles as she puts on her top.

“Your back muscles are... impressive. You really have been hitting the gym”. Charlotte sprawls herself on Becky’s bed. “You look good, Becks”.

Becky was just about to retort when the door opens and Zelina shuffles in with a paper bag, which she hands Becky.

“Thank you, kiddo”, Becky says in an overly-sweet sing-song voice and pats Zelina on the head. “And as promised...” she walks over to the Latina’s laptop and types a little. “All done --- you’re free to gmail whomever you like”. She walks over to Charlotte and grabs her hand. “Come with me -- we’re having breakfast outside”.

-

Charlotte takes a sip of her coffee and breathes in the fresh air. Becky brought her here -- to the lake just behind the main admin building. It was a nice break away from the hustle and bustle of campus. 

“You come here a lot?”, Charlotte asks.

“Most days”, Becky answers. “I come here to clear my head... or to get away from it all”.

“You bring any girls here?”, Charlotte asks, poking at Becky’s shoulder.

“Just you”, Becky says, the corners of her mouth quirking up in a smile for half a second before her face turns serious. “Charlotte, do you want me to move on?”, she asks curtly.

Charlotte considers her response for a brief moment. “Move on from...”

“Oh, don’t do that! You... move on from you. I’ve been thinking about us and I want answers. Do I move on? Is that what you want?”

Sadness clouds the blonde’s face. She always knew this day would come. The day Becky’s finally had enough of her excuses and apologies. She just wishes it came much later – maybe then she’d be ready.

 “Well, I guess I want you to... to do what makes you happy”, she manages to say, what with the lump forming in her throat.

Becky nods. “ _You_ make me happy. Does that mean I get to do you?” 

 “Becky...”

“I love you so fucking much, Charlotte” Becky’s voice cracks. “I love you so fucking much and without meaning to, you break my heart every time you choose someone else over me. And you keep throwing these little breadcrumbs of love that keep me hanging on --- ‘cos you need someone to dry your tears”. She drops her gaze. “I used to be okay with that... but not anymore. Last night I lied next to you while you were virtually half naked... Do you know what it’s like to want someone so bad for so long and then...” Becky stops to run her two hands up and down her face. “Every time we’re together I’m reminded of what I can’t have and I don’t think I can do it anymore”.

“So what? You’re done with me now?”, Charlotte’s eyes pools up with tears. She crosses her arms in defiance, trying to act brave when she’s hurting on the inside.

“I don’t know. I don’t wanna lose you because you’re my... _my person_ , Charlotte, but I’m wasting all my best years on someone who doesn’t even love me back”.

The blonde worries her bottom lip between her teeth before saying, “I do, Becky. A lot. I just can’t be with you right now”.

Becky lets out a bitter laugh. “The worst part is, I know this isn’t about Seth or the fact that you don’t want to ruin our friendship by dating. Hear that? I know that’s bullshit. You won’t tell me the real reason so I guess it’s me, right? Am I not good enough? Are you afraid that I’ll leave you? ‘Cos I won’t”.

“It’s not you”, Charlotte whispers. 

Becky sighs. “Well, I need to take a break from all of this. I need some time to myself. I really hope you can figure your heart out, Charlotte”. She gets up from the bench, glances over at Charlotte one final time before walking away.

* * *

_**13th February** _

Seth invited Charlotte over to his place for dinner and a movie. She agreed – he was still her boyfriend after all. But she was having a terrible time. And most of it wasn’t even Seth’s fault. He couldn’t help it if he didn’t know any of Charlotte’s favourite dishes or films. He couldn’t help that he wasn’t Becky.

Because that’s who Charlotte wished it was instead. Becky. _Her_ Becky.

The woman she rejected countless times in the past is the same woman she wants now --- how fucking ironic is that?

She tried to call a bunch of times, but then she would give in to her own cowardice. She wanted to text her, but nothing she wrote was good enough. Nothing encapsulated how she truly felt. Why she rebuffed Becky’s advances for years, why she shrugged off all the “I love you’s” and the “I want you’s”. And a big part of her just wanted her best friend back. Because that’s what Becky is...her best friend. The one person who knew how to make her laugh when she was about to cry. The one person who knew all her favourite things – movies, snacks, colours -- she even remembers the emerald necklace in a small boutique that reminded Charlotte so much of the one her grandmother wore, that she was reduced to tears. Becky knows all of that -- she knows it because she cares. She’s always cared. Even when Charlotte didn’t deserve it. If only she could get a chance to explain to her why she always said no... But maybe it’s too late now.

Seth pulls away from Charlotte, breaking their kiss. “You okay?”, he asks, leaning over to grab his beer from the coffee table.

“Yeah... sorry, just a little distracted”, Charlotte says with a quick smile.

“Alright then”, Seth says with a throaty chuckle. He snakes his hand behind Charlotte’s back and starts tugging at her dress’ zipper. “You okay with this?”, he asks carefully.

Charlotte just nods.

“I’m gonna need verbal consent there, babe”, Seth jokes.

“Actually, Seth...”, Charlotte gently pushes him away. “I’m not okay with this -- with any of this”. She gets up from the couch and stands over her boyfriend. “I deserve love and romance -- maybe I do wanna get swooped off my feet or get serenaded by the _a capella_ ner... group”. She sits back to next to Seth and tucks some of his hair behind his ear. “You’re great – really. You’re a good guy... but I’m in love with someone else”.

“I see”, Seth says slowly. Then he smiles at Charlotte. “It’s Becky, ain’t it?”

Charlotte gives an eager nod. “It’s Becky -- it’s always been Becky”.

“Well then, what are you waiting for? Go be with your girl”, Seth nudges Charlotte’s knee with his own.

“Wait”, Charlotte gives Seth a sceptical look. “You’re okay with all of this? Why are you not freaking out?”

Seth gives a small shrug. “I know you’re bisexual and I’m also not blind, Charlotte. I see the way you look at Becky. She’s always the only one in the room to you”. He gives a sad smile. “I figured she didn’t like you back and that’s why you started dating me – and I was okay with that ‘cos I wouldn’t trade these last three months for the world”.

Charlotte gives a poignant smile and brushes her hand against Seth’s bearded cheek. “I’m sorry”, she softly says.

“Don’t worry – lots of hot girls on campus, I’ll be fine”, he says and gets a punch on the shoulder for his troubles.

“I’m serious, Char -- go to her”, he says again.

“It’s almost ten o’clock... Plus”, Charlotte’s face turns sullen, “I’m pretty sure she hates me now”.

“Why do you say that?”, Seth asks, genuinely interested.

Charlotte frowns. “I played with her for too long. I didn’t want to date her because I was afraid that if we broke up our friendship would end. None of my relationships last. I didn’t Becky to become just another ex. I didn’t wanna lose her and... well, we didn’t even date and I’ve already lost her, so that’s just fucking fantastic”, she explains.

Seth put a loving arm around Charlotte’s neck. “Why don’t you go tell her that?”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to see me. I could never handle that rejection, Seth.”

“Look, Char, if you’re gonna dump me, at least go get the girl you dumped me for. Otherwise we can’t be friends”, he says jokingly.

“I’m... scared”. Charlotte falls back onto the couch and covers her face with her hands. 

“Scared? Of what?”, Seth asks, stroking Charlotte’s knee a little.

The blonde woman sniffles. “I’m scared that I won’t be enough”, she simply says. “That’s why I couldn’t date her then... why I can’t date her now. I’m just me... and she’s... so much more”.

“Come on now, Charlotte, you’ve got a lot to offer”.

The blonde laughs sardonically. “I do?”

“Why do you think I’m so pissed at you for breaking up with me? I _really_ liked you. You’re a great girl and I’m sure Becky feels the same way”.

“She does... did. But I might have fucked it up for good”, she admits.

“Well, fix it... call her, text her. I’ll even drive you over there myself if you wanna see her”.

“No, no I can’t do that. I can’t call or text -- this is the person I care most about in the world and if I’m gonna tell her how I feel, I need to do it right”. Charlotte gnaws at her lip for a bit before an ingenious plan pops right up. And she feels like an idiot for not thinking of this sooner.

She places a strong hand on Seth’s shoulder. “I know what I need to do, Seth, but I’m gonna need help”.

* * *

_**14th February** _

Becky was woken up at six in the morning buy what sounded suspiciously like _a capella_ singing. She jumps out of the bed, and opens dorm’s door and low and behold... twelve synchronised singing dorks in their blue and gold sweater vests right outside her door.

_“Like a fool I went and stayed too long,_

_Now I’m wonderin’ if your love’s still strong_

_Oooh, baby , here I am, signed, sealed, delivered_

_I’m yours”_

“What the hell? Waaait...”, Becky takes a step back and suddenly realizes what’s going on here.

“ _Then that time I went and said goodbye,_

_Now I’m back and not ashamed to cry,_

_Oooh, baby , here I am, signed, sealed, deliv...”_

But Becky slams the door shut. She grabs her phone from her desk and tries to call Charlotte, but there’s no answer.

“Why is someone singing Stevie Wonder at six in the goddamn morning?”, Zelina asks with a grunt.

Becky walks back to the door and opens it again. “Because Charlotte’s fucking amazing”, she says with an unwavering grin on her face.

-

When Becky steps out of the building, ready to haul herself and a backpack full of textbooks all the way to the other side of campus, she is met by about seven young women, all of whom are wearing their volleyball gear. The first one steps up and hands Becky a rose. Then it’s the second one’s turn until all seven have given her roses and the _a capella_ geeks stop singing.

“Thank you, ladies. Now tell me, any of you seen your captain?”, Becky asks as she sniffs the red roses.

A girl Becky only knows as Sonya steps forward and hands her a red ribbon. “That’s to tie the roses with. Also, we made a promise to our captain not to entertain any questions. Have a nice day, Miss Lynch”.

Becky is left with a rather bemused smile as she watches the volleyball girls and the singers trot off.

If memory served her correct, up next would be the...

...

“Who are you and what are you doing in my class?”, Professor Bryan asked when he saw Charlotte (carrying a cluster of helium filled heart-shaped balloons) enter the lecture hall.

“Well, sir, my name is Charlotte Flair and that girl over there”, she points directly at Becky. “...the one with the really orange hair -- that’s the love of my life and I’m here to tell her that... In the flush of love’s light we dare be brave. And suddenly we see that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet, it is only love that sets us free”.

By now Becky’s face was as red as the bouquet of roses on the seat next to her.

Professor Bryan gives Charlotte a once-over. “Maya Angelou?’, he asks.

“Yes sir”, Charlotte says, slightly out of breath.

“Ah... get the hell out of my class!”, he yells at the blonde and garners a few laughs from the class.

“Of course, let me just...”, Charlotte makes her way up the steps and leaves the weighed down balloons by Becky’s roses. She also gives the Irish girl a quick wink before hurriedly making her way down the steps again.

“Do I need to call campus security, miss?”, Bryan asks, crossing his arms.

“No, sir. I’ll see myself out”, Charlotte says, putting her hands up in surrender. 

Becky stifles a laugh as she watches Charlotte skip out of the lecture hall.

“Anyone else expecting a big declaration of love like that? No? Let’s proceed”, Professor Bryan says and walks back to the whiteboard. 

-

Becky opens her door and smiles when she sees a white teddy (polar?) bear with a red bowtie sitting on her bed.

She sets the roses down on her desk and ties the balloons to her bedpost. 

“Now how did you get in here?”, she asks the bear, then shifts her gaze to Zelina who was sprawled out on her bed, paging through a magazine. “Zelina I thought I told you not to open the door for strangers”, she says in the most patronizing way possible.

“Oh screw you! That thing was here when I came in”, she rebuffs.

Becky spots the post-it note on the plushy bear’s belly.

_19h00_

_You’ll figure it out_

_x_

Becky tries to think of all the possible places which Charlotte could be talking about, but her mind goes blank.

“Hey, Zee, did Charlotte say anything when she dropped this off?”, Becky asks.

“Nope. She just asked me to make sure you’re not late”, Zelina says absent-mindedly as she pages through her _Vogue_.

Becky gives a chuckle. “Please don’t tell me espionage is a profession you’re interested in because I can tell you now it’s not gonna work out”.  

She spends half the afternoon trying to figure out exactly where Charlotte would be waiting for her. It couldn’t be Finn and Elias’ building because Charlotte only been there once and she wouldn’t know how to get there or how to sweet talk the building manager into letting her use the roof. It had to be somewhere else. Someplace that meant something to both of them.

By six Becky still wasn’t sure where she was supposed to meet Charlotte and she was starting to feel rather stupid. She took a shower and get dressed and decided to go through the list of potential places she thought made the most sense.

Zelina could see she was struggling and offered some advice.

“Why don’t you just breathe for a second? Like, stop pacing because it annoys everyone present and just clear your head”.

“Thanks, Dr. Phil, just what I needed rig... Fuck! Of course!”, Becky goes to kiss Zelina on the forehead. “You’re a little genius, you know that?”

“Euww, get off me”, Zelina complains, albeit smilingly. “And go get your woman, so you can stop bumming me out with your sad ass songs every night”.

-

Becky briskly walks down the street, enjoying the cool, late winter air and the usual business of campus nightlife. She follows the familiar pathway passed the admin building and from about a mile out, she concludes that she’s definitely in the right place.

It looked like something straight out of a _Pinterest_ proposal board -- the trees were draped with strings of yellow fairy lights, pink and red wrapped Hershey candies were carefully scattered on the floor in a sort of pathway that lead to the park bench where Charlotte stood waiting for her.

“You made it”. Charlotte’s practically beaming – and she’s showing off those dimples that always leaves Becky weak.

“Yeah...”, Becky says dreamily. There was so much to look at around her, but she only really wanted to look at Charlotte. She moves a few inches closer to the blonde. “I can’t believe you did all this... It looks beautiful”.

Charlotte offers a shy smile. “I wanted to do something special... I-I hope it’s not too much”. She looks around and starts questioning why she had all the trees within a mile radius made up with lights. Of course it would look overstated.

“It’s perfect... like you”. Becky voices and pulls Charlotte closer. “I mean, I don’t get why you floored perfectly good candy like that, but hey...”

Charlotte blushes slightly. “I lined up the walkway with Hershey’s because I wanted to _kiss_ the ground you walk on”.

“Oh sweet Jesus, come here”, Becky mumbles and pulls Charlotte in. She has to stand on the balls of her feet, but she just about reaches Charlotte’s mouth and Becky’s lips swiftly ghosts over hers. But they don’t kiss -- not yet.

“How’d you like all your Valentine’s Day surprises?”, Charlotte asks as she pulls away from Becky.

The ginger quirks her eyebrow in confusion, but manages a smile. “It was... very gay”, she says with a chuckle. “But I loved it”.

“Good”, Charlotte asserts. “I wanted to give you the romance you deserve. I wanna give you everything, Becks”.

“You know I only want you, Char. That’s all I’ve ever wanted”.

Charlotte sighs and gestures to the bench. “We should probably sit... There’s so much I need to say to you”.

Becky nods and takes a seat. “Say what you need to say, love”, she instructs. The blonde sits next to Becky, running her long fingers through her hair.

She turns to Becky and gives a lopsided smile. “I fell for you in junior year”, she says and it catches Becky off guard because her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates. Charlotte ignores this and continues. “Back then I was an outcast. Or at least, it felt that way. I had my sports, sure, but no one understood me – no one bothered to get to know the real me -- until you showed up”. She smiles at the memory. “You stomped your way into my life and I was so happy that I finally found someone who cared about me. Who asked me how _I_ was doing instead of how the team was doing. I had so many _Verizon_ minutes -- but it was only ‘til you showed up that I had someone to call. Someone to talk to.

“And I was just... fuck... enamoured, infatuated, smitten. But I couldn’t be with you, Becks. I couldn’t tell how I felt because I was afraid you’d reject me. I mean, I was just a lanky girl who got B’s in all her classes and who wore gym clothes all senior year, like... You were so out of my league. You were smart and witty... and all the guys were pissed that you’re gay... ‘cos you’re so beautiful. I never felt like I was good enough for you”.

“Charlotte, come on...”, Becky says, tenderly brushing her palm against the blonde’s cheek.

“No Becky, I need to do this. I need you to understand that I never rejected you because I felt like you weren’t good enough. I did it because I was afraid _I_ wasn’t good enough”. Charlotte blinks away the tears that had welled up in her green-ish blue eyes. “Even after you told me how you felt -- even after you asked to be with me -- I still felt inadequate. I’m just a dull, suburban girl. What could I really offer you? I was afraid you’d get tired of me”.

Becky shakes her head in defiance. She inches closer to Charlotte and brushes their lips together. “I love you -- the way you are... they way you’ve always been”. She lets her fingers to graze along Charlotte’s arm. “And you are more than enough. It upsets me that you don’t see it, but I promise I’ll spend forever trying to change your mind”.

Charlotte trails a finger along Becky’s jaw line, lifts her chin and kisses her. And it feels strange and perfect at the same time. Becky bites down at Charlotte’s lower lip, asking permission to deepen their kiss. Charlotte’s lips parting is all the answer she needs, so Becky leisurely slips in her tongue – enjoying the warmth and taste of the blonde’s mouth.

Charlotte pulls Becky in by her hair and the Irish girl moans in approval. She locks her arms around Charlotte’s neck and pulls back a little just to see the girl’s face. 

“You make me so happy”, she whispers raggedly. Then, almost abruptly, Becky detaches herself from Charlotte’s body. She reaches into her jacket’s pocket and reveals a little blue box with a silver ribbon around it. “I almost forgot -- here”. 

Charlotte slowly reaches out for the gift, curious eyes searching for clues in Becky’s. When she finally opens the box, she lets out a small gasp. It was the emerald pendant necklace. The exact same one that they saw in that boutique months ago.

“Becky... How did you get this?”, she asks incredulously.

“I went the back the next day and bought it for you. Been carrying around for the last few months. I was going to give it to you as a Christmas present, but you went on that trip with your family. Happy Valentine’s Day, baby”. 

Charlotte takes the necklace out of its box, and gives it a once-over, before wrapping it around her hand. “I love you”, she finally says. She holds her pinkie out for Becky and the other girl hooks it with her own.

“I love you, too”. 

_-the end-_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading x
> 
> And it's not like I live for the applause, but I kinda do, so comments and kudos are welcome.


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